INVOLVE - Market Town to Help Shape Global Climate Change Policy

One hundred residents of Kettering, Northants, and members of the public from more than 40 other nations, will take part in a pioneering global consultation exercise designed by the UN to make sure that public opinion plays a key role in shaping policy at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference in December.

Kettering Borough Council Portfolio Holder for the Environment, Cllr Cedwien Brown said: "Kettering people are proud of their environmental track record and we're really honoured to be asked to get involved in the Copenhagen summit like this.

"It's not every day that a town like ours gets invited to help shape global climate change policy."

The Kettering 100 includes everyone from housewives and shop workers to cleaners, catering officers and professionals and will gather in a local conference centre on Saturday September 26th.

They will spend five hours registering their views on the urgency of the whole climate change crisis, levels for cutting carbon emissions, the funding of emissions cuts and ideas for alternative methods of reducing carbon.

Groups of 100 residents from nations including Russia, Australia, the US and Nigeria will gather simultaneously to register their own views in World Wide Views on Climate Change - what the UN calls a unique opportunity to influence political decision makers at the global climate summit.

The outcome of the deliberations will be formally presented to the delegation to Copenhagen to show what citizens - those who have to live with the consequences of global climate change policy - believe are the priorities for action.

The UK element of the ground-breaking process, is co-ordinated by Involve, the public participation specialists and supported by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.

Involve director Simon Burall said: "We have got to involve citizens more directly in the climate change debate because everyone of us will have to live with the consequences of decisions that are taken.

"The people of Kettering will play a critical role by making sure that public opinion is properly represented at Copenhagen and by proving that it is possible to engage the public in complex decisions."

FURTHER INFORMATION FROM JON FLINN ON 0151 709 0505 or MELISSA MILNER ON 0207 793 4035